Cory Hedgecock goes 2-for-2 for 2014 in Sweetheart 52

It was a mild and sunny Saturday afternoon in February as the 411 Motor Speedway hosted the 2nd Annual Sweetheart 52. Kicking off the night was Limited Late Model qualifying, as defending Sweetheart 52 champion, ironically driving the #52 machine, would set fast time with a lap of 14.495 with Cory Hedgecock in the 2nd and final locked starting position with a lap of 14.557. Next up was Heat Races, where Booger Brooks would take the lone heat race win in Thunder & Lightning. Next was the first of two heats for Street Stock, where Shannon Emery won the first and Lynn Philips won the second heat. Limited Late Model heats were next, where Rick Hixson won the first, and Josh Henry won the second. Next was Mini Stock heats, with Michael Courtney and Mike Townsend winning those. The final two heat races were in Sportsman, where Kip Sawyer and Jimmy York were the winners of those. For the features, Mini Stock was first, with Michael Courtney taking the win. Next was Street Stock, where they went caution-free, with Shannon Emery taking the checkers. Thunder & Lightning was next, with Booger Brooks taking the victory. Sportsman was next, with time expiring on a shortened feature, it was Heath Alvey taking the win after 15 of the scheduled 20 laps. Capping off the night was the Sweetheart 52, where Cory Hedgecock took the lead from the start, and kept it, for all 52 laps.

Join us Saturday March 8th for our first open practice of the 2014 season, going on from 12-5p. Also, mark your calendars as 411 Motor Speedway hosts the NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series for a 3-night show March 27th, 28th, and 29th for the Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine Nationals. On Thursday March 27th will be an open practice from 5-9p. On Friday March 28th, it’ll be a $2,000-to-win NeSmith special running 40 laps. In addition, we’ll have Sportsman and Mini Stock. On Saturday March 29th, it’ll be a $3,000-to-win NeSmith special running 50 laps. In addition, we’ll have Street Stock and Thunder & Lightning a part of the program. Admission pricing for all that will be announced soon, so keep checking in!

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Mini Stock
Starting the pole we have Michael Courtney and Mike Townsend in the outside front, drivers are lined up and ready to go, we have 15 cars for the feature! Green flag! Starting off strong Courtney takes the lead for the first lap, while Rocky McNabb falls shortly behind. Nick Perry pulls into the infield on turn two. Two laps complete. Courtney in the lead followed by McNabb. Josh Spears hits the wall, but a caution on Aaron Hayes for a spin. Double file restart, Courtney in the lead. 17 laps to go! McNabb and Robert Burris make a little contact. Courtney leads with slight smoke from his machine, possibly a tire rub. Sam Burgess pulls to the wall and stalls, bringing caution here on lap 7. 13 laps to go folks. Green flag back in the air, it’s a close turn on lap 8. Caution on the back straightaway at 10 laps Paul Dunlap Jr and Hayes get a little tangled. Hayes now pulling off the track while Dunlap Jr follows behind. 10 down 10 to go. Courtney still the leader followed still by McNabb, and Dan Duggan. Left on the track we have Courtney, McNabb, Dan Duggan, Townsend , Burris, John Tate, Dunlap Jr has rejoined the field, and Spears rounding out the field. Townsend and Dan Duggan fighting for the third spot. John Tate pulls into the infield. Spears spins out in turn 2. Courtney takes the win, with McNabb and Townsend rounding out the top 3.

Street Stock
Lining up the machines we start off with Shannon Emery and Lynn Philips for the Street Stock. Off turn number 4, GREEN FLAG! Emery keeps the lead with Philips following close behind. The track is starting to get a little dusty as the sunshine has shined all afternoon, drawing the moisture out of the dirt. 6 laps on the board with 14 to go! Corey Summers slows down to the inside lane and into the infield. Philips and Jerry Hux come close on turn two but Philips holds second. Charlie Bates starts to pick up pace fighting for third. This race seems like it will be caution free as we turn onto lap 17. Now Hux starts to lose power off 4 with ignition issues and slows on turn 3 coming to a complete stop as the checkers fly. Emery takes the win over Philips and Bates.
Cautions: None
Leaders: M2-Emery (1-20)
Time of Race: 6 minutes 9 seconds
Heat Race Winners: Shannon Emery, Lynn Philips

Thunder & Lightning
Here we have Thunder & Lightning with Booger Brooks and Jonathan Sims your front row. The drivers are ready to go! Green Flag in the air, on turn two we get our first caution with Dale Watson going almost head-on into the wall. He comes out okay while rescue take precautionary measures and makes sure he is ok. Lining back up with Brooks and Sims in the lead we begin again as the green flag goes up! Sims and Justin Winters fight for second, as Wilson grabs a piece of the wall in turn 2. Robbie Comer takes second place on turn 4 of lap 5. Brooks tightly holds first with a good half straightaway lead ahead of the other drivers! 3 wide off of turn 2. Robbie Greene slides his way into 3rd!! Brooks beginning to lap the back half of the field, making a tight squeeze to get around! Brooks takes the win followed by Comer and Greene!!!!

Sportsman
After an intense race with Thunder & Lightning we line up for Sportsman with Kip Sawyer, and Jimmy York on the front row. GREEN FLAG! 3 wide off turn 2. Josh Beal now quickly goes around with no laps complete so we line back up for a restart. Sawyer and Heath Alvey come close and York takes the lead. Alvey and York make slight contact on turn 2. Caution goes up on lap 4 as Deverell spins out. Green flag back in the air with a quick caution on lap 4 turn 2 Beal goes around. Starting again green flag! Alvey takes the lead with York and Sawyer fighting for 2nd. Turn two another caution as Hooks goes around. Kailee Horsley leaves the track. GREEN FLAG AGAIN!!!! 3 wide off turn 4. Alvey takes the lead, Sawyer falling not far behind! Now Beal spins to the infield and caution goes up for the 5th time. We get lined up quickly and we take off again. 4 cars around now in 3 including Cody Brake, James Cole, Hooks, and Beal on turn 3. Looks like Brake is the only one who will be leaving the track on a hook. Now Cole will head to his trailer. We now have 9 cars on the track. Hooks, Deverell, and Beal are all now turned around again on turn 4. This will be the 3rd caution here on lap 10. Alvey slides on turn 2 but is not affected keeping the lead! Wayne Rader now is in 2nd place! Checkers on this one as Alvey takes the win over Rader and Sawyer.
Cautions: 7 (Laps 0, 4, 4, 6, 10, 10, 10)
Leaders: 11-Sawyer (1), Y3-York (2-3), 7-Alvey (4-15)
Time of Race: 19 minutes 35 seconds
Heat Race Winners: Kip Sawyer, Jimmy York

Limited Late Model
Now for the main event, 52 laps we line up for the Sweetheart 52! Everything is looking good and everyone is hyped up for this one! Ryan King and Cory Hedgecock your front row, green flag in the air as they thunder off 4!! Hedgecock is far in the lead as we take the second lap! King in 2nd with Rick Hixson close behind! Hedgecock close to lap traffic already as he’s setting a blistering pace!! Hedgecock comes close to contact with Josh Evans while slicing through lap traffic. 9 laps are complete and we come to a caution as Evans goes around. Caution once again here on lap 9 as Josh Henry and Jason Manley spin out along with Evans. One car went around and the others spun to avoid. The field is ready to go again and they are off! Hixson is coming closing in on Hedgecock. Caution once again as Ryan King and Mack McCarter come in contact with 12 laps complete. Lining up once again, green flag back in the air, now Brian Smith stirs up dust around turn 2 up next to the outside wall as Hedgecock is staying strong in first with Hixson close behind. Hedgecock is beginning to catch lap traffic. Seagle turns into the infield. Racers are side by side as we begin to cut things close! Now on lap 31, Henry stalls in 4 to bring out caution. Green flag back in the air, now 34 laps down, Hedgecock in the lead followed by Hixson and Walker Arthur. Josh Driskill pulls into the infield. Hedgecock leading with Hixson still close behind. Hixson is beginning to lose touch with Hedgecock as we hit lap 47. Checkers on this one as Hedgecock takes the Sweetheart 52 victory over Hixson, Arthur, and Rusty Ballenger, with Tod Hernandez rounding out the top 5!